Program Assistant

Job #: req23517

Organization: World Bank

Sector: Administration/Office Support

Grade: GC

Term Duration: 3 years 0 months

Recruitment Type: Local Recruitment

Location: Bishkek,Kyrgyz Republic

Required Language(s): Russian, English

Preferred Language(s): Kyrgyz

Closing Date: 7/25/2023 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC

Description

Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? Working at the World Bank Group provides a unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges. The World Bank Group is one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries; a unique global partnership of five institutions dedicated to ending extreme poverty, increasing shared prosperity and promoting sustainable development. With 189 member countries and more than 120 offices worldwide, we work with public and private sector partners, investing in groundbreaking projects and using data, research, and technology to develop solutions to the most urgent global challenges. For more information, visit www.worldbank.org

Regional Context

The Europe and Central Asia (ECA) region comprises 30 extremely diverse countries, with a population of nearly 500 million people. Although 10 of our clients have joined the EU and 7 of these have graduated, most continue to remain active recipients of knowledge and/or lending services. Furthermore, in the midst of a crisis like the pandemic that we are experiencing now, some of the advanced countries re-engage with the Bank for additional support, including financial. ECA has a strong lending pipeline as well as a large and growing portfolio of Reimbursable Advisory Services. Knowledge is critical to the Bank’s value proposition to client countries in the ECA region in both lending and advisory services.

A predominantly middle- and high-income region, ECA continues to be at the forefront in confronting the numerous development challenges that countries face in the evolving global economy. The region is at the vanguard of building regional connectivity while having to manage the changing structure of the labor market. At the same time, digital technologies are changing the nature of work, populations are aging, and large migration flows have generated social tensions that have contributed to increased political polarization. These emerging trends threaten to reverse the region’s achievements in regional integration, poverty reduction and shared prosperity.

The ECA region is also one of the most vulnerable to climate change. It has a large potential to strengthen climate change resilience and improve energy efficiency, thereby reducing its contribution to climate change. Other important challenges affecting parts of the region include frozen conflicts and domestic political instability.

In February 2020, the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak interrupted the incipient recovery and the impact on growth remains highly uncertain and in a downside scenario of prolonged shutdowns, output in ECA could contract by nearly 8 percent in 2020. The pandemic also poses medium-term risks, particularly if global value chain linkages are lost or if extended school closures have a significant impact on learning, dropout rates, and human capital development.

The near- and medium-term impacts of the COVID-19 crisis serve to re-emphasize the critical importance of ECA’s medium-term strategic agenda on raising productivity and boosting resilience. This focuses on three priority areas:

•  Boosting human capital to raise productivity
•  Building solid foundations and resilience for growth
•  Enabling markets to achieve high productivity in the private sector

Country Context

The Kyrgyz Republic joined the World Bank in 1992. During the 30-year partnership, the Bank supported all major sectors of the economy by investing $2.7 billion in 149 projects, technical assistance, and analytics. The Bank’s support has helped the country maintain macroeconomic stability and achieve important results ranging from modernization of irrigation, transport and energy infrastructure to expansion of rural water supply and community-driven development initiatives throughout the country. The current country investment portfolio consists of 17 IDA-funded projects with total commitment amount of US$803.9 million. The country also benefits from 5 IDA-funded regional projects in the amount of $186M. The portfolio represents all key sectors with a focus on water and energy sector, investing in strategic infrastructure, developing private sector, and improving access to social services and quality of education.

Building on the forthcoming Systematic Country Diagnostic update and on consultations with various stakeholders throughout the country, the World Bank has launched preparation of a new five-year Country Partnership Framework for FY24-28 with the Kyrgyz Republic and looks forward to expanding the engagement in energy, water, agriculture, climate resilience, food security, public sector governance, private and financial sector development, and other key priority areas.

The Country Team and Office

The World Bank office in Bishkek is looking for an energetic, resourceful and highly motivated individual to work as Program Assistant to carry out the full range of office support work, including managing processes and monitoring schedules related to their team’s/unit’s products and tasks.

Roles and Responsibilities:

•  The overall purpose of the assignment is to provide administrative, logistical and substantive (to the extent possible) support to the World Bank Country Office in the Kyrgyz Republic.
•  Arranging working schedule and meetings with counterparts for visiting teams.
•  Formatting and, if necessary, drafting variety of standard project-related operational correspondence, drafting minutes and ensuring timely submission for clearance and distribution, as well as adherence to departmental, VPU and institutional and operational guidelines and procedures;
•  Incorporating agreed comments into documents, making full use of shared drives and software capabilities.
•  Using word processing, spreadsheets or desktop publishing skills to produce complex text, reports, figures, graphs, etc., according to standard Bank formats and distribution.
•  Maintaining, retrieval, manipulating and presentation of project related data.
•  Providing support for preparation and implementation of Bank projects, according to Bank procedures.
•  Assisting in preparation and logistical planning for various events, e.g. conferences, workshops, negotiations, travel, etc.
•  Tracking assigned task/project steps/timetables, coordinating with relevant staff and providing assistance and/or information on project-related matters.
•  Maintaining current distribution lists, phone/address lists of project/product contacts, and distributing documents for the team.
•  Maintaining up-to-date work unit project and other files (WBDocs).
•  Assisting team or work unit by translating/drafting a variety of routine documents, applying effective proofreading and grammar skills in English and Russian languages.
•  Solving non-routine problems (e.g., responds to requests requiring file search, etc.).
•  Perform other tasks as requested by the Country Manager, Executive Assistant and operational staff.

Selection Criteria

Education/Experience

•  Minimum Years of direct relevant experience: 3
•  BA/BSc with basic quantitative analytical skills or equivalent combination of education and experience.
•  Previous experience in multicultural environment is an advantage.
•  Strong English and Russian language skills (verbal and written). Kyrgyz language skills would be an advantage.

Competencies:

•  Technology and systems knowledge – Demonstrates advanced knowledge and experience working with Microsoft office applications (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, etc.). Has ability and willingness to maintain up-to-date knowledge and skills in technology.
•  Project and task management – Exhibits good organizational, problem-solving, analytical skills and ability to work competently with minimal supervision. Demonstrates attention to detail and quality. Has ability to manage multiple tasks and complete tasks within agreed schedule.
•  Institutional policies, processes, and procedures – Demonstrates knowledge of own department’s programs and products, knows key players, understands own role. Displays understanding of WB policies and procedures relevant to the area of assigned responsibilities and is able to apply/ implement them.
•  Versatility and adaptability – Demonstrates flexibility and is receptive to the implementation of new solutions. Is willing to stretch own capability. Demonstrates motivation to avail and adapt oneself to effecting change. Able to work on a range of tasks, with different teams, and in changing circumstance.
•  Client Orientation (ACS) – Exhibits good communication skills, positive and professional client service attitude; is able to understand clients’ needs and complete them professionally; is able to interact tactfully & diplomatically with internal and external clients; and to maintain confidentiality when appropriate. Drive for Results – Able to take personal ownership and accountability to meet deadlines and achieve agreed-upon results and has the personal organization to do so.
•  Teamwork (Collaboration) and Inclusion – Collaborates with other team members and contributes productively to the team’s work and output, demonstrating respect for different points of view.
•  Learning, knowledge sharing and communication (ACS) – Has good knowledge of official unit’s language(s). Able to write clearly, edit and proofread draft communications. Able to learn and share knowledge/information across the unit.
•  Business judgment and analytical decision making (ACS) – Able to manage information and support retention and disposition of information and records. Can search, report, and deliver basic information from various sources and independently respond to basic inquiries.

World Bank Group Core Competencies

The World Bank Group offers comprehensive benefits, including a retirement plan; medical, life and disability insurance; and paid leave, including parental leave, as well as reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity and inclusive employer with a dedicated and committed workforce, and do not discriminate based on gender, gender identity, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability.

Learn more about working at the World Bank and IFC, including our values and inspiring stories.